"Matthew Vernon" wrote in message
...
PCPaul writes:

I was told by my last (very good) agent when I queried not having to do
this that re-signing every 6 or 12 months is a common way to extract more
money from you. Sadly I've moved away from the area they cover now...

It also takes away the tenants' flexibility to choose when they want
to move out.

If that's an issue then the solution is easy. Refuse to sign a fixed term
renewal. A landlord would be nuts to refuse. (though you do have to make
sure that the landlord actually knows what it is that you want)

tim

tim..... wrote:
If that's an issue then the solution is easy. Refuse to sign a fixed term
renewal. A landlord would be nuts to refuse. (though you do have to make
sure that the landlord actually knows what it is that you want)

That depends. If it's a studenty area, say, they know everyone
moves at the beginning of July so won't be willing to accept something that
might cause them to have a vacant property in February.

It all depends on how the supply and demand is in your particular market.

For example, while rental prices for houses are typically heading up at the
moment you can probably negotiate a good deal on new-build flats which are
currently sitting empty.

Theo

tim..... wrote:
"Matthew Vernon" wrote in message
...
PCPaul writes:

I was told by my last (very good) agent when I queried not having
to do this that re-signing every 6 or 12 months is a common way to
extract more money from you. Sadly I've moved away from the area
they cover now...

It also takes away the tenants' flexibility to choose when they want
to move out.

If that's an issue then the solution is easy. Refuse to sign a fixed
term renewal. A landlord would be nuts to refuse. (though you do
have to make sure that the landlord actually knows what it is that
you want)


I'm glad someone has said this is a money making exercise - I have always
felt that the agent recommending a 6 month contract is just trying to
collect more for themselves. I actually prefer a recurring tenancy. Easier
for me and the tenant.

--
Mark BR

In article ,
tim..... wrote:
"Matthew Vernon" wrote in message
...
It also takes away the tenants' flexibility to choose when they want
to move out.

If that's an issue then the solution is easy. Refuse to sign a fixed term
renewal. A landlord would be nuts to refuse. (though you do have to make
sure that the landlord actually knows what it is that you want)

When we did this it was not for this reason but we were only delaying
our signatures because they had changed the agreement to our detriment
(that is, the new fixed term agreement was worse than the previous
one) and we wanted it put back. We handwrote in various changes to
the copy they sent to us, to put it back to the previous agreement,
and they refused to accept it because they regard anything with
handwritten additions "not a real contract".

Finally after much arguing and some delay on both sides they did make
the changes themselves and we signed it and returned it but that
wasn't good enough because we had dated our signatures, and by this
point the end date for the previous fixed term had already passed (and
we were still living there and paying rent and so forth), which made
the document invalid in their view.

So they put up a `to let' board outside the house. Our housemate
phoned up to talk to them and they were `ranty'. They wanted to
insist that we all come in personally at the same time, presumably so
they could give us a bollocking for being awkward, but I was abroad at
the time. They reluctantly agreed to us sending them an undated
signed tenancy agreement after I got back.

After all this we didn't feel very secure, obviously. One of us moved
out and the remaining two went and bought a house. After we left they
then charged us about five months' rent, the complete amount until the
new tenants moved in.

They also made several unjustifiable deductions from the deposit. I
was having bad work stress at the time and haven't yet got around to
pursuing them for this. This happened in 2006-7.

The agency was Russell Residential Lettings of Cambridge.

The proprietor has in the past responded to critical comments about
Russell's in cam.misc by looking up the tenants' details and
suggesting that the proprietor might get involved in the issue.

Sadly most tenants nowadays have no enforceable rights to do anything
their landlord dislikes - not even the right to freedom of speech.
Attempting to exercise one's theoretical rights can lead to eviction.

--
Ian Jackson personal email:
These opinions are my own. http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ijackson/
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On Oct 5, 12:45*am, Jon Ribbens wrote:
On 2008-10-04, PCPaul wrote:

I didn't mean legally obliged to, just that the landlord/agent might
require it.

I was told by my last (very good) agent when I queried not having to do
this that re-signing every 6 or 12 months is a common way to extract more
money from you. Sadly I've moved away from the area they cover now...

In my experience it is an absolutely universal practice.

Not in mine. Every time I have rented (in Cambridge) it has been 6
months followed by 1 month notice (or two by landlord).


Robert

"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
news
In article ,
tim..... wrote:
"Matthew Vernon" wrote in message
...
It also takes away the tenants' flexibility to choose when they want
to move out.

If that's an issue then the solution is easy. Refuse to sign a fixed term
renewal. A landlord would be nuts to refuse. (though you do have to make
sure that the landlord actually knows what it is that you want)



The proprietor has in the past responded to critical comments about
Russell's in cam.misc by looking up the tenants' details and
suggesting that the proprietor might get involved in the issue.

Sadly most tenants nowadays have no enforceable rights to do anything
their landlord dislikes - not even the right to freedom of speech.
Attempting to exercise one's theoretical rights can lead to eviction.

Subject to two months notice.

IME you have to be a pretty poor tenant for the landlord to want to give
notice out of spite.

tim

In article ,
tim..... wrote:
"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
news
Sadly most tenants nowadays have no enforceable rights to do anything
their landlord dislikes - not even the right to freedom of speech.
Attempting to exercise one's theoretical rights can lead to eviction.

Subject to two months notice.

IME you have to be a pretty poor tenant for the landlord to want to give
notice out of spite.

That's exactly what happened to us. Or are you saying they were
bluffing ? Or that we were a poor tenant for dating our signatures
or for wanting to retain the tenancy on the previously agreed
terms ?

Note that these decisions are often made by the letting agents.

--
Ian Jackson personal email:
These opinions are my own. http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~ijackson/
PGP2 key 1024R/0x23f5addb, fingerprint 5906F687 BD03ACAD 0D8E602E FCF37657